Such accidents
will happen. A gambling-house, the keeper of which is able to maintain
the royal expense of the neighboring court out of his winnings and also
to keep open for those who are not ashamed to accept it,--gratis, all
for love,--a concert-room brilliant with gold, filled with the best
performers whom the world can furnish, and comfortable beyond all
opera-houses known to men must be liable to a few such misfortunes. Who
is not ashamed to accept, I have said, having lately been there and
thoroughly enjoyed myself? But I did not put myself in the way of having
to cut my throat, on which account I felt, as I came out, that I had
been somewhat shabby. I was ashamed in that I had not put a few
napoleons down on the table. Conscience had prevented me, and a wish to
keep my money. But should not conscience have kept me away from all that
happiness for which I had not paid? I had not thought of it before I
went to Monte Carlo, but I am inclined now to advise others to stay
away, or else to put down half a napoleon, at any rate, as the price of
a ticket. The place is not overcrowded, because the conscience of many
is keener than was mine.
We ought to be grateful to the august sovereign of Monaco in that he
enabled an enterprising individual to keep open for us in so brilliant a
fashion the last public gambling-house in Europe.
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